The present invention relates generally to systems and method for providing a print media manufacturing buffering and sorting and corresponding methods thereof. More particularly, the present invention relates to providing a decentralized multi-process print media manufacturing system, apparatus, and method providing routing capabilities to route in-process units to available processes.
Existing systems suffer numerous process delays and drawbacks. For example, in various systems, a transport station is a central element of the production system, but is only capable of providing a static configuration. In such a system, all products enter the transport station at a fixed location, providing a rigid and inefficient process flow.
In existing zone-based manufacturing and assembly processes, if a product is delivered into particular zone in error due to misplaced product covers by an operator, robots of different zones must typically move out of their respective zone(s). Only then may a robot of the particular zone obtain the product and transport the product for processing. These deficiencies result in lost production and increased process complexity.
Although misplaced covers are no longer a concern some existing systems (e.g., because of automated cover distribution configured to provide covers to various processes), control can still cause robots to move out of their respective zone depending on distances between pick-up and drop-off locations. As such, cross-feed issues still occur and cause losses in productivity in the system 400.